Legend has it that my mother would cook artichokes, pull off each leaf individually, scrape the flesh from the soft ends, and then mash it together with the heart to make baby food for me.
I never remember her making them when I was growing up and didn’t have another artichoke until my brother in law brought a huge bag of them to share on a camping trip. We were camping at Big Sur which is just south of Monterey California along the coast.
Fun Fact: Artichokes are grown almost exclusively in central California. California grows more than 99 percent of all the artichokes in the nation. Holy smokes, that’s a lot of artichokes!
Start by cutting off the top third of the artichoke. Be sure to use a very sharp knife to do this. A knife with a serrated edge makes doing this easier.
Use kitchen shears to trim off the pointy tip on all the remaining leaves. This is not necessary but it makes eating them a more pleasant experience with the sharp tips removed.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the prepared artichokes. Cover with a lid, but tip the lid a little off to one side so that steam can escape while they are cooking. Depending on how big they are, it will take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour to cook.
Add more water if the water level gets too low.
To test for doneness, try pulling a leaf off, if it come off easily, they are done. You want them to be nice and soft. Once they are nice and soft, use tongs to lift them out of the pot. Allow as much of the water to drain off as possible.
To eat them, pull off a leaf, dip the base of the leaf into a little mayo, then scrape the soft flesh off the leaf using your teeth.
TIP: Set out a large bowl in the center of the table for everyone to drop their leaves into.
If you are not a fan of mayo you can dip your artichoke leaves in melted butter instead.
Once you get to the center use a knife to cut out and remove the fuzzy inedible choke. What you are left with is the prize, the heart.
One medium artichoke has a whopping 6 grams of dietary fiber – that’s a quarter of the recommended daily amount!
If you have never tried to cook and eat an artichoke I encourage you to give it a try. They are delicious, easy to prepare and packed with nutrients. They are low in fat and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus they are fun to eat!